Clues to Dyslexia from Second Grade On

By: Sally E. Shaywitz

The specific signs of dyslexia, both weaknesses and strengths, in any one individual will vary according to the age and educational level of that person. The five-year-old who can't quite learn his letters becomes the six-year-old who can't match sounds to letters and the fourteen-year-old who dreads reading out loud and the twenty-four-year-old who reads excruciatingly slowly. The threads persist throughout a person's life.

The following are some clues to dyslexia for children in second grade and beyond.

Problems in speaking

Mispronunciation of long, unfamiliar, or complicated words; the fracturing of words  leaving out parts of words or confusing the order of the parts of words; for example, aluminum becomes amulium

Speech that is not fluent  pausing or hesitating often when speaking, lots of um's during speech, no glibness

The use of imprecise language, such as vague references to stuff or things instead of the proper name of an object

Not being able to find the exact word, such as confusing words that sound alike: saying tornado instead of volcano, substituting lotion for ocean, or humanity for humidity

The need for time to summon an oral response or the inability to come up with a verbal response quickly when questioned

Learning that is accomplished best through meaning rather than rote memorization

Ability to get the "big picture"

A high level of understanding of what is read to him

The ability to read and to understand at a high level over learned (that is, highly practiced) words in a special area of interest; for example, if his hobby is restoring cars, he may be able to read auto mechanics magazines

Improvement as an area of interest becomes more specialized and focused, when he develops a miniature vocabulary that he can read

A surprisingly sophisticated listening vocabulary

Excellence in areas not dependant on reading, such as math, computers, and visual arts, or excellence in more conceptual (versus factoid-driven) subjects such as philosophy, biology, social studies, neuroscience, and creative writing

Many of the above indicate strengths in higher-level thinking processes.

Excerpted and adapted from: Overcoming Dyslexia: A New and Complete Science-Based Program for Reading Problems at Any Level